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I (NoModeL) P. R. HAMILTON.

MEANS FOR OVERGOMING DEAD CENTERS.

No. 364,409. Patented 11:

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l w f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

FREDERICK R. HAMILTON, OF BATH, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR OVERCO MING DEAD-CENTERS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,409, dated June'1', 1887.

Application filed March 22, 1887.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK R. HAMIL- TON, of Bath, in the county ofSteuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Means for Overcoming Dead-Oenters; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification. Y

My invention relates to an improvement in overcoming deadcenters; and itconsists in, first, the combination of the fiy-wheel having a pin orbearing at its center and another one at one side thereof with a slottedplate which has the bearings or pins upon the wheel to pass through itsslots, and to one end of which plate one end of the pitman is connected,and the spring which bears against the opposite end of the plate fromthe pitman for the purpose of returning theplate to position afterhaving been moved; second, the combination of the fly wheel providedwith two bearing pins or projections, a slotted plate through which thepins or projections pass, and which has one end of the pitman connectedto one of its'ends, a spring which bears against the opposite end of theplate from the pitman, and a cam or eccentric for regulating thepressure of the spring, as will be more fully described hereinafter. V

The object of my invention is to apply to the fly-wheel a slotted platewhich has an endwise movement in starting the wheel in case it isstopped upon either one of its dead-centers, and which plate in movingsweeps through a portion of a circle and thereby starts the wheel inmotion, making it as easy to start the wheel when upon a dead center aswhen upon any other point.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of allywheel to which my inventionis applied, the parts being shown in one position in solid lines and inanother position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of thewheel taken at one side of the plate.

A represents a fly- 11ee1 of an y desired shape, size, or construction,and which is to be used Srllitl No. 231.931. (No model.)

in connection with any kind of a machine where a fly-wheel is needed. Atthe center of this wheel is formed a projection or bearing, B, which issnfiiciently long to'pass through the slot G in the slotted plate D, andupon one of the arms of the wheel, at any desired distance to one sideof this center, is formed a second bearing, pin, or projection, F, whichpasses through the slot Gin one end of the plate. These two bearings,pins, or projec tions B F may be cast as apart of the wheel, securedthereto or applied in any suitable manner that may be preferred. Theysimply form means for attaching the slotted plate to the wheel, andhence no special importance is attached to either the manner of formingor attaching these bearings to the wheel. The slots through the plateextend in opposite direction to each other, and have suitable recessesformed at one end, so as to form rests for the pins or project-ions B F,and thus enable the plate to be held rigidly in position and the wheelto revolve at a very high rate ofspeed without any movement of the platewhatever.

' The bearing against the opposite end of the plate from which one endof the pitman is attached is a suitable spring, H, of any desired shape,form, or construction that maybe desired, and which keeps the platepressed endwise as far as the slots will admit and the pins orprojections in the rests which are formed for them in the ends of theslots. As here shown, afiat bent spring is used; but any other form ofspring that will answer the purpose to keep this plate moved endwise maybe employed.

As the tension of any spring will sooner or later become weakened, itbecomes necessary to provide a tightening device for this spring, sothat the pressure upon the plate can be regulated at will. In order toregulate the pressure of this spring, a cam or eccentric, l, is attachedto the wheel, and by turning this cam or eccentric it can be made toexert a greater or less pressure upon this spring, as may be desired.\Vhenever the tension of the spring becomes weakened from any cause, orit is desired to exert a greater pressure upon the plate, it is onlynecessary to apply a screw driver to the cam or eccentric and turn itpartially around, when a greater pressure may be brought to bear uponthe spring. This cam or eccentric has its shank to pass entirely throughone of the arms or a flange upon the wheel, and is held in position bymeans of a clamping-nut upon the opposite side. I do not limit myself inregard to this manner of holding the cam, for this may be Varied at willwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

As long as the wheel does not stop upon either one of its centers, theslotted platehas no movement whatever. The distance from the pin orprojection B to the pin J, to which the end of the pitman is connected,indicates the length of crank. Should the wheel stop upon either one ofits dead-centers, either the pressure or the pull of the pitinan firstmoves the plate endwise, and, owing to the angles of the slots, forcesit sidewise sufficiently far to carry the pitman off the deadeenter andto start the wheel in motion. As soon as the wheel begins to revolve,the spring forces the slotted plate endwise, so as to cause it to resumeits normal position, and then the plate has no further movement untilthe wheel again stops upon one ofits dead-centers. This plate takes theplace of the ordinary crank, and the whole power of the pitmau istransferred through this plate to the two bearings B F, whereby thewheel is made to revolve and the power is transmitted to the pitman.

The wheel is caused to revolve either to the right or the left,according to the manner in which the plate is applied to the twobearings B F. .Vhen applied in the position here shown, the wheel willrevolve to the right. Should it be desired to cause the wheel to revolveto the left, the slotted plate and pin J are removed and then reversed,and the wristpin made to extend outward from the wheel, as shown. Thedirections in which the two slots extend being reversed, the motion ofthe wheel will also be reversed. By means of the construction here shownit is immaterial whether the wheel stops upon one of its deadcenters ornot, for it can be started as readily and almost as easily as from anyother position, and the same plate will cause the wheel to revolve ineither direction that may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- r 1. The combination of afiywheel having one bearing extending in a line with the main shaft anda second bearing placed to one side thereof, a plate provided with slotswhich extend at an angle to each other and through which the bearingspass, the pitman which is connected to one end ofthe plate, and a springwhich isapplied to the opposite end of the plate from the pitman for thepurpose of returning it to position after having been moved,substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the vided with the bearing B at its center and thebearin F, located at one side thereof, the plate provided with twoslots,which extend at right angles to each other and which have restsfor the bearings in their ends, the wrist-pin for the pitman, thespring, and an eccentric for regulating the pressure of the spring uponthe plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK R. HAMILTON. Witnesses:

F. A. LEHMANN, A. S. PATTISON.

wheel A, pro-

